Norman Park

Pride of the inner Brisbane suburb of Norman Park is Euralia, grand old seat of the Early Street Historic Village. A noble, 19th century gentleman's residence, Euralia was built in the 1880s for Patrick Real, one of the colony's most successful pioneers. The self-educated Real rose to be Senior Puisne Judge of the Supreme Court and Queensland's Acting Chief Justice. The gracious, lovingly-restored home, with its balustrade verandahs, retains the original slate roof, timber fretwork friezes, elaborate cedar joinery and mosaic tiled entry. The home is set in magnificently kept and extensive grounds. To step back a generation or two, walk the banks of Norman Creek to discover glimpses of a lifestyle that has disappeared from Brisbane's inner-suburban heart. Some of the homes still; have boats tethered at the back gate or half-built in the backyard. Happily, the creek still supports a healthy ecosystem despite the intensity of the surrounding urban development.